Career Journal: How to Deal with Sexual Harassment at Work

The number of working women in India is rising, but unfortunately so is the incidence of sexual harassment at work, according to a recent survey.

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Women often think that they are misreading a situation or that it’s their fault. But do not lose confidence

A November survey of 600 female employees in the information technology and outsourcing industry found that 88% of them had faced some form of sexual harassment at work. In two-thirds of the incidents, the perpetrator was a superior at work, according to the survey conducted by the Centre for Transforming India, a Delhi-based non-profit.

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Sexual harassment at work can involve a wide range of actions, from gestures to sexual innuendo to physical acts to demands for sexual favors. Sometimes these signs are so subtle that they are tough to pinpoint. But don’t wait till they become more serious before taking action.

Women often think that they are misreading a situation or that it’s their fault. But losing confidence in yourself is the worst thing you can do. The law is behind you and it requires companies to provide women with a work environment which is free of harassment.

So, be wary of any remarks or gestures that make you uncomfortable. A one-off incident can perhaps be ignored depending on the circumstances but repeated behavior should not be. Here are some steps you can take if you encounter it:

1. Communicate your disapproval: First, try avoiding any colleague who makes you uncomfortable. If you have to work in close proximity to that person on a project, try to bring another colleague along so that the two of you are not left alone.

If this is not enough to get the message across to the harassing colleague, then communicate your discomfort clearly. Next time he makes an offensive remark, politely tell him to stop and pinpoint what you’re referring to. So, if he stands too close, you can say something like “Can you please stand at a distance because otherwise it makes me very uncomfortable.” Or, if he touches you often, say “Can you please avoid putting your hand on my shoulder because that makes me uncomfortable.”

This way you are specifically calling out his conduct and responding in the same manner as the offense was committed.

“If the person has sent you a joke through an email or SMS” reply through email or text when asking him to stop, says Richard Lobo, head of employee relations at Infosys Technologies Ltd.

Be assertive in what you say but stay calm. An angry outburst from you could lead to further provocation, or worse “it can turn the tables on you” when the company investigates the matter, says Rajendra Ghag, head of human resources at insurance company, HDFC Life.

2. Keep a record: If your colleague still doesn’t get the message, you need to prepare to report him. The first step toward this is to gather evidence to substantiate your claims.

“Note down the date, time, details (of each incident) and the response of the harasser,” says Sheeba Satish, human resources manager for Fundsupermart.com, a mutual fund distribution company. Save any emails or text messages that contain inappropriate language.

If the person is approaching you or you are in a situation where previously the conversation has turned offensive, try to use your mobile phone recorder to discreetly record what your male colleague is saying.

3. Find a confidant: Share the situation with a friend at work. It’s possible that other female colleagues have also had the same experience as you, so you can band together. If you don’t find shared experiences, at least your confidant can watch out for how the offending colleague behaves toward you and potentially serve as a witness.

Be sure to pick a trusted person as your confidant; avoid someone who might share the information with everyone else in office. A senior colleague or mentor who carries more weight in the organization would be ideal.

4. Formal complaint: If clear warnings to the miscreant haven’t worked, make a formal complaint to your higher-ups along with whatever evidence or notes you have. If your immediate manager or division head doesn’t take heed, approach the head office.

“It’s important to follow the hierarchy and go all the way to the top,” says Sunita Thakur, a consultant counselor at Delhi-based women’s group Jagori. Often the head office is not even aware of what’s going on in its units, says Ms. Thakur. You could also approach the human resources department.

Ideally, make the complaint in writing and keep a copy. “If it’s an oral complaint, then it’s always easier to hush up the matter,” says Dr. Rukmini Sen, a fellow at the Center for Women’s Development Studies in New Delhi.

Often women don’t report sexual harassment for fear that the company may not take action, or they might lose their jobs. Sure, you need to be tough to tackle this issue but Indian law doesn’t allow companies to fire you for this, says Ms. Thakur.

5. External resources: If your company doesn’t take any action on your complaint or doesn’t penalize the miscreant, you can approach a government agency like the National Commission for Women, or a women’s group like Jagori, or Human Rights Law Network. They can approach the company on your behalf in an effort to force it to take action. Look up some women’s groups in India here.

You could also try reaching a lawyer, ideally one who has worked on women-related issues. In the famous sexual harassment case of Vishaka vs State of Rajasthan, the Supreme Court in 1997 asked all companies to provide a gender-friendly working environment to all employees. If your company doesn’t provide that and doesn’t redress your complaints, inform company officials that you plan to take legal action. Sometimes that’s enough to scare them, says Ms. Thakur of Jagori.

6. Quit: Leaving your job should be your last resort. But in case you have to do that, be sure to have a Plan B. Start looking for another job before you put in your papers in the first one. If you’re out of work at the time of job interviews, it reduces the likelihood of finding a job and your power to negotiate a good salary.

Have you been harassed at work? Share how you dealt with it in the Comments section.

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